The 1st Duke was one of the first Englishmen to fall for the extravagant creation of formal gardens which were already fashionable in France, Italy and Holland in the late 17th century.
The Seahorse Fountain, which still stands in the centre of the South Lawn, was carved by Caius Gabriel Cibber in the years 1688 to 1691. This fountain is fed by water flowing in from a pipe from the base of the Cascade. The pressure resulting from the 50 foot drop provides the force for the display here. The fountain has recently undergone repair and restoration and was returned to Chatsworth in the summer of 2015.
The eight Carrara marble statues and two urns between the pleached limes were made by Francesco Bienaime for the 6th Duke in the 19th century.
Discover more from the early history of the garden
Salisbury Lawns
The creation of the Salisbury Lawns and the removal of the old formal gardens occurred prior to the arrival of Lancelot 'Capability' Brown at Chatsworth in 1758, most likely in the 1730s.
Canal Pond and Great Fountain
The Canal Pond was dug between 1702 and 1703. It is set a few inches higher than the South Lawn, so when it is viewed from the south end of the pond, the house appears to rise from the water.
Cascade
The original cascade, designed Monsieur Grillet, a French hydraulics engineer with experience in decorative waterworks for Louis XIV of France, took two years to build and was completed in 1696.
The Old Glasshouse
The Old Glasshouse, built in the 1690s, is a long, low building with ten arched windows and is shown in Kip and Kynff’s 1699 view of the garden.
Flora's Temple
Originally called the Bowling Green House, Flora’s Temple was built between 1693 and 1695.
Grotto House, Grotto Pond and Morton Pond
The Grotto was originally constructed in the late 1790s at the instigation of Duchess Georgiana, but was much altered by the 6th Duke in the 1820s.
Ring Pond
The Ring Pond is a survivor from the 17th century gardens. It originally lay in the middle of a formal plantation of trees, with the Willow Tree Fountain at its centre.
South Lawn and Seahorse Fountain
The south parterre began construction in 1694 under the guidance of George London and Henry Wise, who also worked at Hampton Court Palace. The parterre was a pattern of intricate flower beds, hedges and gravel paths.
Discover the 6th Duke's Garden
The 6th Duke, working with renowned gardener Joseph Paxton, made radical and pioneering changes to the Chatsworth Garden and Estate.
Learn about the Modern Garden
In the last 100 years, many of the historic features of the garden have been restored and numerous important new features have been added.
